Fielding Red Conception 2008, VQA Niagara Peninsula

This blend is about half merlot, with roughly equal contributions from syrah, pinot noir, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. They add up to a nicely paced red that shows solid flavours from start to finish, decent complexity, and a texture that’s refreshing and balanced. It’s versatile for food, and goes as well with chicken and pork as with tomato-based pasta. It’s ready to drink now and over the next two or three years. Score: 4 (Rod Phillips, rodphillipsonwine.com, June 22, 2010)

Community Reviews (2)

I’ve had several different vintages of this wine and I can’t tell which one the LCBO has but it is likely 2009 or 2010 by now. A blend of Merlot, Cab Sauv, and Syrah, this wine exhibits characteristics of all three varietals – damson plum, black cherries, cassis, and some nice spicy notes from the Syrah. With well integrated oak, the wine picks up some mocha, sweet spice, and cigar box notes. Great acidic core keeps it fresh and makes for great food pairings. We’ve had it with tomato-based pasta dishes, pizza, burgers, and roast beef.

Tasted the 2009 vintage. It has a woodsy cedar, cherry and strawberry nose. The palate is smooth, but it's a tad light bodied. The tannins are faint, however it's a noble effort for an entry level wine. Nice sour cherry finish.